AMERICA.-Labrador-Nova Scotia-Cape Breton.

the advanced age of sixty and seventy years, who never saw a Bible: and the reception which the Scriptures furnished by your society met with in the same island, may be sufficiently judged of by the further assurance of the Secretary, that the avidity with which the Bibles and Testaments are purchased is beyond all description; that 100 copies were sold in one day, and twice as many more could, he believes, have been disposed of with the greatest facility;' and, finally, that he receives daily messages of gratitude and thanks from the inhabitants, for the more than kind attention of the British and Foreign Bible Society to their eternal welfare, in supplying them with the means of Scriptural knowledge."-Tenth Report, p. 24.

AMERICA.

LABRADOR." Thanksgivings continue to be presented from the Christian congregations under the care of the Moravian brethren in Labrador. They represent the copies of the Scriptures which they have received in the Esquimaux language, as an invaluable gift,' and as having tended to promote a great eagerness to learn to read, both in children and adults; and they unite, throughout all their settlements, in praying to the LORD, 'to bless that venerable society, which exerts itself with so much zeal and charity to publish the word of GOD in all languages, and send it forth into all parts of the earth.'"-Tenth Report, p. 28.

"In Labrador, we observe the simple and patient missionaries, from the Church of the United Brethren, proceeding with their usual assiduity in the translation of the whole New Testament into the Esquimaux language, and pouring forth the warmest strains of gratitude to those benefactors by whose aid the portion already translated had been printed and brought into circulation. Of this, it appears, the most diligent use was made by the members of the Esquimaux congregations. They read it, during their leisure hours, in their houses and their tents; and their whole conduct and conversation were a striking evidence of its power."

Owen's History, Vol. III. p. 483, NOVA SCOTIA. In reference to the Bible Society established in this province, it is stated:

"How much such an Institution was wanted, may be learnt from the assertion in the Third Report, that persons who had kept houses, with smaller or larger families, for five, ten, or more than twenty years, had not been able, till then, to obtain a Bible: and the further assertion, that in every instance the Scriptures seemed to have been thankfully received,' gives reason to hope that the society will not have been instituted in vain."-Ibid. Vol. III. p. 485.

CAPE BRETON.-The Governor of this colony, in a letter to Lord Teignmouth, dated May 20, 1818, after acknowledging the receipt of a liberal supply of Bibles and Testaments, in the Gaelic, English, and French languages, voted by the Parent Committee, observes:

"With respect to the great mass of our population, the Highlanders, they received the beneficence of the society with the utmost gratitude. Persons have been hired, and sent from distances of eighty to one hundred miles to intreat for the sacred volume; and instances are not wanting of others sending their children five and six miles, over frozen lakes, to be instructed by poor old widows, for the avowed purpose of reading the Bible

Canada.-United States.-Scarcity of the Holy Scriptures.

to their parents, who were themselves, from ignorance, unable to do so. To those places of instruction, as I discover them, I send a few of the least expensive editions of Testaments, as school-books, of which they were nearly destitute; and I consider myself acting in conformity to the wishes of the society, in agreeing to the petitions of families, who, totally ignorant of etters themselves, would occasionally have an opportunity of hearing the Scriptures read by travellers, to whom, with patriarchal hospitality, they give refuge for the night. These people are very poor; and to expect any pecuniary return at present is in vain, and perhaps impolitic: they are, however, temperate in their habits, frugal, and laborious; and I have no doubt, that the views of the society will be better fulfilled by penny-a-week associations, when they are in better circumstances in two or three years hence."

CANADA. A minister in this extensive colony thus writes, when acknowledging a supply of Bibles and Testaments, sent from the Parent Society in August 1819:

"Every one, Sir, who knows the moral state of the Canadians, must concur with me in saying, that they could not come to a better place, nor in a better time. These provinces have long been neglected, and their true state but partially known. In Lower Canada the population is estimated at seven or eight hundred thousand souls, many of whom have never seen a Bible. It is certain that a strong desire exists among them to read the Scriptures." Sixteenth Report: Appendix, p. 202.

UNITED STATES.-Reference has already been made, in the Ninth Section, to the wants of the extensive regions of the American continent which are included by this designation. But the following extracts will place the subject in a more clear point of view :

"There has been no edition of the Bible printed west of the mountains, and the inducement to merchants to take out many very small, as will appear from the following anecdote. A merchant in Tennessee observed, during the earthquakes in 1811 and 1812, that before these took place he used to sell ten packs of cards where he sold one Bible; now he sold ten Bibles where he sold one pack of cards.”—Tenth Report: Appendix, No. XXXVIII.

"It was very unusual to find any portion of the sacred volume among our soldiers; and in many instances there were found a hundred sick assembled in a hospital, without having among them one Bible or New Testament.

66

Some of the Tennessee Militia, when passing through Nashville, on their way to New Orleans, had inquired in vain for a Bible; not one was to be found for sale: and in the month of December last, a similar inquiry was fruitlessly made in this city, by a gentleman from the Amite; nor is there at this moment a Bible to be purchased in any book-store in the city of New Orleans.

"As there were not Bibles sufficient to supply even the sick in hospitals who were anxious to receive them, it was not uncommon to see one reading aloud to several around: and at other times, two or three, lying on the floor together, would be attempting to read in the same book at the same time. Some of those who had received Bibles, declared a determination to carry them home with them on foot, 800 or 1000 miles; and rather than not carry them, they would throw away part of their baggage.

G

Louisiana.-Earnest desire to receive the Scriptures.

Although 3000 copies of the New Testament in French had been received by the President of the Society about the middle of December last; owing to the disturbed state of the country, at that time invaded, none of them were distributed until about the 10th of February. After a few persons had received the New Testament, and it had become generally known that there were more in the hands of one of the managers, who had been appointed to make the gratuitous distribution of the whole number designed for this city, the applications were more frequent than could be supplied: a large crowd of some hundreds of people, of all colours and ranks, was formed before the house, and became literally clamorous to have a book; a word which was often vociferated in French by fifty voices at once.

"Such an assembly, for such a purpose, never before witnessed in Louisiana, presented to the beholder many affecting scenes: the young and 'the old, the rich and the poor, as if alike conscious of their wants, pressed forward with out-stretched hands to receive the valuable gift. A child, not more than five or six years of age, was borne in the arms of its mother, a woman of colour, pressing through the crowd as one of the candidates for a treasure which she seemed justly to estimate: the silence and attention exhibited by the bye-standers were immediately rewarded, by hearing this infant read in an intelligent manner the story related in Mark x. 13—16, rendered doubly interesting by the incidents.

"As all who presented themselves for a French New Testament were asked if they could read, and, if any doubts existed, were put to the trial. An aged black woman, being asked the usual question, and requested to prove the fact, answered, that she could not without her spectacles, which she had not with her; but, unwilling to depart until the object of her wishes had been obtained, she renewed her application, and observed to the distributor, If I get a book by a falsehood, it will not be deceiving you, but GOD.' Many persons, who could not read themselves, wished the New Testament for their children, who said they would read it for them." First Report of the Louisiana Bible Society.—Twelfth Report : App. No. xvIII. "We know, from actual observation, that there are, on our western borders, thousands of families growing up without the Bible. Many of them are destitute of this invaluable treasure, not merely because they are too parsimonious or too negligent to obtain it, but because it is not within their reach. They reside 1000 miles from any place where the Bible is printed. Seldom is it carried thither by the merchants. We ascertained, by inquiry, that in many of the principal towns of the Western country there was not a Bible to be sold.”—Sixth Report of the New-York Bible Society.

66 Among the applicants for Bibles, there have been several, who declared that they had been endeavouring, for years, some as many as for twelve or fifteen years, to obtain a copy of the Bible in French. Some declared that no present could be more acceptable to them; and others, that they esteemed it beyond hundreds of dollars.

"The Catholics, even the strictest of them, are willing, with scarcely an exception, to receive and read the Bible.

"The Spanish inhabitants have been remarkably pleased, on obtaining the New Testament in their native language: they have received it with great demonstrations of joy. The expressions used by some, on being presented with a New Testament, deserve notice: One observed, 'This book contains the pure truth, and nothing but the truth.' Another, on reading the title-page of the New Testament, as soon as he came to the words 'JESUS CHRIST,' stopped, and said, with much earnestness, 'This is my King and my God—He is my All Another, on being asked if the Spaniards were satisfied

Massachusetts.-Philadelphia.

6

with their New Testament, observed, that they could not be Christians who were not.' ”—Second Report of the Louisiana Bible Society.

"When this Institution was first proposed, there were some who objected, that it was not needed; that the poor in this country are as well supplied with Bibles as the rich. But inquiry has proved this objection false. Many ministers, who had the same impression, have expressed their surprise at the want of Bibles in their societies. One thus writes: "I am astonished to think that I should know no more: how many poor people are unprovided with the Bible!' Another writes: "It is surprising, that, when the case of the poor with respect to Bibles is investigated, we should find such great deficiency.' Another says: 'I had no idea that there were so many destitute in this town.'

"The books which have been distributed by the society have been received with gratitude and joy, and many interesting expressions of these sentiments have been transmitted to your Committee. One letter says: "These poor people received the Bibles thankfully, and requested me to make their acknowledgments to the society. Some of them were very eloquent in imploring the benedictions of Heaven on those who were instrumental in imparting to them so valuable a present.' Another says: "Till I had no more books to distribute, my chamber was constantly crowded.

Could

the society witness the manifest thankfulness with which their bounty is received, I think they would believe their charity well applied in this region. Another says: They all expressed much joy at the reception of the gift. Some could scarcely speak, to think that GOD should send them his blessed word, of which they were so unworthy. One aged man in particular, on accepting one of the large Bibles, burst into tears of joy, and put it under his coat near his heart, and said, I will put it as near my heart as I can.' Another says: A very vicious and indigent family, to which a Bible was given, have constantly attended Meeting for a number of Sabbaths, when I had never seen them in the Meeting-house for twelve years before.-Can there be a greater encouragement or reward to the society, than this grateful eagerness with which the word of God is received ?"

First Report of Massachusetts Bible Society.

"The deficiency of Bibles has been found to be much greater than was expected; and it is believed to be as great in many other places. The number of families and individuals who are destitute of a copy of the Scriptures is so considerable, that the whole of the funds of the Society could be profitably expended, in supplying the wants of this city alone; and the opportunities of distributing them in other places are so numerous, that, if these funds were tenfold as great as they are, they would be still -inadequate to supply the demand.”

First Report of the Philadelphia Bible Society. "The most affecting account which we have of the want of Bibles, in this country, is to be found in Messrs. Mills and Smith's Report of their Missionary Tour through it, during the last year. They represent every part of which they speak, as covered with gross darkness, for want of the light of Scripture. They tell us of old men, who greatly desired a Bible, and who had often sought it, who, nevertheless, have never had a Bible in their houses. They tell us of mothers, with their children in their arms, pressing through the crowd to solicit a Bible. They tell us of families who never saw a Bible, nor heard of JESUS CHRIST. They speak of large territories, where more than two-thirds of the inhabitants are supposed to be destitute of the Scriptures. In Kaskaskias, a place containing from eighty to one hundred families, there are, it is thought, not more than four or five Bibles.' In the Illinois territory they say, they did not find any place where a copy

6

West Indies-Surinam-Demerara-New Providence.—Bahama Islands.

of the Scriptures could be obtained.' They declare it as their sober conviction, that at least 76,000 Bibles are necessary for the supply of the destitute in that part of our country. And, it is thought, by judicious people, that half a million of Bibles are necessary for the supply of the destitute in the United States.' There is, then, much to be done; and we are called upon by the worth of souls, by the example of thousands, and by the blessing of Heaven, to engage, with renewed spirit, in this work."

Thirteenth Report: Appendix, No. XVIII.

WEST INDIES, &c.-Extract of a letter from Surinam:

You can scarcely form any adequate idea of the eagerness with which the Dutch Bibles and Testaments have been sought after. Indeed, scarcely was it known that such books had arrived, when old and young flocked to my house, in such crowds, that my door was, as it were, besieged from morning to night; and, no sooner was it opened to dismiss one party, than another entered, in such numbers, that I was really apprehensive lest accidents might happen. As I myself enjoyed the privilege of being an almoner of this bounty, I can testify, from personal observation, that the gift was received with evident marks of gratitude, reverence, and attention."

Eleventh Report: Appendix, No. xxxviii.

66 In the Islands of Antigua and St. Christopher, copies of the Scriptures, furnished by your Committee, have been distributed among an eager and a thankful people. 'Several pious Blacks,' writes a correspondent, 'came from Barbuda, an island a short distance from Antigua, to request that a few Bibles and Testaments might be given them: for these they begged in a very affecting manner. I gave them two dozen Testaments. On receiving the rich treasure, their joy was inexpressible, as might be seen by the tears which flowed down their sable faces."

"Similar accounts have been received from Berbice and Demerara; from the latter of which places, the distributor writes:-' I had no just idea of the number of Negroes that wish for Bibles, till I mentioned to some of them that I would procure Bibles for those who wished to have them. The next week, applications poured in from every plantation, and every quarter.'"

"Statements of a like nature have been transmitted from New Providence, where whites and blacks emulated each other in expressing their thanks for the Bibles and Testaments received, and in petitioning for further supplies." Fourteenth Report, p. lxxxiii et seq.

From a Minister in one of the Bahama Islands :— "The books of which you advised me, arrived safe, and in excellent condition. They have proved a most acceptable and seasonable supply. I am persuaded the attention of the Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society could not have been directed to a part of his Majesty's dominions, which stood more in need of Bibles and Testaments than the Bahama Islands. I am happy to say, that numbers of families who had no Bible or Testament (some indeed had a few leaves carefully preserved) now possess the book they prize above every other, and rejoice in its possession. One poor woman told me, that she never read a chapter in her life, till she read one in the Testament I let her father have, and that she never received such light as she did from reading it. The Committee would be pleased to see the poor old widows reading their large Testaments: they consider themselves rich indeed, and they requested me to return their thanks to the Committee for so great a gift; some of them would insist on giving the widow's mite, and some gave sixpence. I beg leave to offer my thanks, and those of the poor people, both whites and blacks, to the Committee, for the Bibles and Testa